Background
Imported to Europe by the Dutch East India Company in the
1830s and brought to North America soon after. Historical
records describe its medicinal, ornamental and timber uses
as early as the 3rd century B.C. Its ability to sprout
prolifically from adventitious buds on stems and roots
allows it to survive fire, cutting and even bulldozing in
construction areas. It is prized for carving.

Distribution and Ecological Threat
Princess tree occurs throughout much of the eastern United
States from Texas to New England where it can be found
growing along roadsides, stream

banks and forest edges. It tolerates infertile and acid
soils and drought conditions and adapts to a wide variety
of

Plant: small to medium sized tree in the figwort family
(Scrophulariaceae) that reaches 30 to 60 feet in
height; bark is rough, gray-brown and interlaced with
shiny, smooth areas; stems are olive to dark brown,
hairy and markedly flattened where stems and branches
meet.

Leaves: large, hairy on upper surfaces, broadly oval to
heart-shaped and sometimes shallowly three-lobed and in
three pairs along the stem.

Flowers, fruits and seeds: conspicuous upright clusters
of showy, pale violet, fragrant flowers open in the
spring before the leaves appear; fruit is a brown
capsule with four compartments that may contain several
thousand tiny winged seeds; fruits mature in the fall
and remain on the tree, providing a handy
identification aid.

Spreads: a single tree is capable of producing an
estimated twenty million seeds that are easily
transported long distances by wind and water and
germinate easily in suitable soil; seedlings grow
quickly and flower within 8 to 10 years.

Prevention and Control
Do not plant princess tree. Young plants can be
hand-pulled but larger trees need to be cut at ground
level with power or manual saws, preferably prior to seed
formation to prevent further spread. Systemic herbicides
have also been used to control this plant.